Clipping

Definition, Examples and Types

Clipping refers to the

process whereby a lexeme
(simplex or complex) is
shortened,
while
still
retaining the same meaning
and still being a member of
the same form class.
(Laurie Bauer, 1989: 233)

Examples of clipping
O Ad

O Condo
O Demo
O Disco
O Fax
O Lab
O Phone
O Photo
O Porn
O Prof

advertisement
condominium
demonstration
discotheque
telefax
laboratory
telephone
photography
pornography
professor
(Plag, Ingo, 2003)

There are three types of

clippings:
1.

Back clipping
2. Fore-clipping
3. Middle clipping

Back clipping (apocopation)

Back clipping means removing a segment of
letters which are in the back.
For instances:
Gas gasoline
The word gasoline' can be shortened to gas'
[gasoline]
Demo demonstration
The word 'demonstration' can be shortened to
demo' [demonstration]
Exam examination
The word examination' can be shortened to exam'
[examination]

Fore-clipping (aphaeresis)
Fore-clipping means removing a segment of letters which
are in front of the word.
For instances:
Phone telephone
The word 'telephone' can be fore clipped by removing the
'tele' segment, creating a shortened version: 'phone'
[telephone].
Gator alligator
The word alligator' can be fore clipped by removing the
alli' segment, creating a shortened version: gator'
[alligator].
Pike
turnpike
The word 'turnpike can be fore clipped by removing the
'turn' segment, creating a shortened version: pike'
[turnpike].

Middle clipping (syncope)

Middle clipping is a combination of both: removing
a segment of letters from the front as well as the
back of the word.
For Instances:
Flu (influenza)
The word 'influenza' can be clipped by removing
the segments 'in' and 'enza', resulting in 'flu'
[influenza].
Tec (detective)
The word detective' can be clipped by removing
the segments de and tive, resulting in tec'
[detective].
Polly (apollinaris)
The word appollinaris' can be clipped by
removing the
segments in naris, resulting in
polli [appollinaris].